Gucci AW16

If last season's Gucci woman was a poster girl for the Seventies, all pussybow blouses and mustard hues, this time around she's grown up by practically a whole decade. While designer Alessandro Michele, now in his third season at the helm, kept his geek-chic sensibility intact, shapes became sharper and more voluminous and shades were saturated, insinuating that this woman is no longer an ingénue - perhaps a reflection of the designer himself, who has single-handedly reinvented the fashion house and is now enjoying the fruits of his labour.

Opening with a puff-shouldered white trench, looks were decidedly more tailored. The suit appeared in tweed (sometimes clashing, sometimes perfectly-matched) or tonal shades of tomato red, black and white, and outerwear looked less vintage-y in its structure – you only had to glance at a studded and textured leather jacket and matching skirt to guess to what era Michele was paying homage.

"Over the top, more is more, and a little of everything were the themes of the day; but toned down with denim jackets and graffiti."

Helen David, Harrods Chief Merchant

Sweaters were emblazoned with wild motifs, including tigers, snakes and dragons while dresses appeared in softer shapes but still boasted Eighties hues like candy floss pink, cyclamen and yellow (definitely brighter than mustard). Here there was something for everyone – printed mini shifts with mink cuffs, satin tea dresses with puff sleeves and Peter Pan collars, strapless ball gowns with sweetheart necklines (hello, prom dress), fluted columns with full sleeves and ruffled cuffs and feathered rainbow-hued carpet-sweepers. As feminine as ever, this line-up felt powerful and confident, too.

Accessories, as always, continue to be lust-worthy – striped frame bags with bamboo handles, little veiled caps replacing last season's berets, power platforms and graffitied shoppers announcing they were 'real'. Get ready for your Instagram to be Guccified for yet another season.

"Michele is now well settled in his position; this showed in the confident and slightly rule-and-trend-breaking show he sent out. Over the top, more is more, and a little of everything were the themes of the day; but toned down with denim jackets and graffiti. We saw ruffles, bows, embroidery, and lots and lots of colour and eveningwear," said Helen David, Harrods Chief Merchant, of the show.

More Style Notes...

If the burning question as Milan Fashion Week hit was 'where will Gucci go next?' – then Alessandro Michele certainly knows by now not only how to court that enigma, but moreover how to present a collection that transcends all forecast or…

Mid-afternoon on the first day of Milan Fashion Week and it was like Night At The Museum in the 'Gucci Hub', the vast, hangar-like space scattered with replicas of sculptures from classical antiquity, Ancient Indian arches and Aztec temple…